Social security systems in Tanzania: Phase II: Co-operatives and Social Protection

Abstract

In the 1950s and 1960s Tanzania had the third largest co-operative movement in the world. These co-operatives provided economic and social protection to members so that poor peasants could sell their crops even in years of bad world market prices. The services provided by co-operatives, like education and trusteeship for peasants who took out loans, collapsed when the government abolished co-operatives in 1976. They were re-introduced in 1982 but, due to their abolition, they had lost capital, personnel and members. The current co-operatives are much weaker than the pre-1976 ones and cannot provide the same kind of protection they once did. Co-operatives have still a great potential for social and economic protection but much change in the government policy on co-operatives is needed.


African Journal of Social Work Vol.17(2) 2002: 29-44